Teen therapy helps with a wide variety of issues that affect some teens, such as stress, peer pressure, self-esteem, and depression. Therapy offers an open and comfortable environment for teens to process their feelings and improve their self-awareness.
Teen therapy assists with these and other issues:
- Body image.
- Academic stress.
- Anxieties and fear.
- Depression.
- Addictions, like substance abuse disorder or gaming disorder.
- Transitional changes.
- Grief and loss.
- Group interaction skills.
- Bullying and cyberbullying.
- Impulse control.
- Body-focused repetitive behaviors.
- Tension between family members.
Talking to someone about your teen’s behavior.
It is useful for parents of teenagers to actively look for people who are linked to your teenager and recruit them for some level of support. Some parents feel isolated and baffled as they look to be the best parents they can be to their teenagers. Talking with sports coaches, school counselors, teachers, and friends of your child, as well as their parents, could give you a better understanding of changing behavior.
If you notice changes in the behavior of your teen, some useful questions to this wider network may include:
- Has my child said or done anything that did not sit right with you lately?
- Is there anything that concerns you about my child?
- Are there any changes in how my child behaves that you have noticed? Can you tell me about them?
- How would you react if I were to say to you my child is struggling with a particular issue – possibly (name issue)?
How effective is teen therapy anyway?
The research findings are clear that teen therapy is effective, and it is especially effective when the teen has a good relationship with the person counseling them. During treatment teens commonly learn how to better regulate their emotions, manage their mental health, cope with stress, and navigate relationships. All these increase the person’s ability and capacity to function normally.
Therapy also sometimes serves as a stable first step toward other more specialized mental health services. There are occasions when the teen does require a type of medication, treatment, or psychiatric evaluation, and therapy can help both teens and parents steer through these options.
Despite it being new, online therapy shows similar benefits to face-to-face sessions. If you live in a rural setting, or your therapist does, or you just prefer virtual meetings, this could be a more feasible option.
The reach of online therapy means that you can connect with any provider in your state, and so you have a greater opportunity to meet with a specific specialist.
How to know if teen therapy is working?
Therapy is a complex process and improving elements that have taken years or months to set in is not something that happens immediately. If you see your teen engaged in the counseling sessions, active in their treatment, and beginning to adopt small behavior changes, then these are signs that that counseling is working.
Discussing whether the therapy is working with your teen is also helpful, and if they feel the therapist is not making much of a difference, they will let you know.
How to begin talking with your teen about therapy.
Parents should be direct and plain with their teen on the topic of therapy. By objectively stating your concerns, such as by saying what you have seen and how this has made you feel, they will understand that you are not judging them, but rather pointing them toward viable help.
An example of what to say could be that you have noticed they have missed a lot of sports practices, or their school results have slipped significantly. Because you love them you are worried about them and that they may be going through a difficult time.
It is often helpful to the conversation if you do not assume you know exactly how they feel, or that you do not dismiss the emotions they are feeling as something they will get over or out of proportion. Remember that your teen is an individual person, just as you are, and is dealing with most of these issues for the first time. If you come across a judgmental then there is a risk that they will withdraw.
What if your teen does not want to go?
It is normal for a teenager to be resistant to the idea of therapy. It could be that they feel nervous about talking to a stranger, or do not fully understand the concept of confidentiality. They could have a pre-determined idea of what therapy is or have had a negative experience in the past with a healthcare provider.
If your teen is firm in their resistance to therapy, then perhaps consider making it a more collaborative process. For example, they could find a therapist themselves or suggest that they visit the therapist at least twice before dismissing the idea altogether. If they refuse to go alone then it may be worth discussing the idea of family therapy.
Further resources.
As a parent, it’s important to be on the side of your teen and to want the best for them. But this does not mean that you can fix or solve what they are experiencing.
If you want to chat about potential teen therapy or receive some help in managing a teenager you expect will benefit from therapy, then consider looking through our list of counselors here at Allen Christian Counseling in Texas. The Christian counselors in Allen, Texas are all experienced professionals with the best interest of your child at heart.
